Faith - The Great Doctor (Kdrama/TV Show)

If you thought I was done writing about Korean Dramas you were wrroooong so so wrong. For the record the term Drama is a title given to any fictional tv show be it romance, action horror or comedy that comes out of Southeast Asia. I've been watching a few different shows from the excellent action of Inspiring Generation to the sedate life drama of Heavens Garden.

This blog is about a Drama called Faith or The Great Doctor (the title has a dual mean in Korean). Its a show directed by Kim Jong-hak and had one of the highest budgets in Korean television history and had a turbulent and much troubled start which I'll explain another time. It features everything from swordplay to superpowers as well touching moments and stunning sets. I recommend it to anyone to at least give it a try.

Its available on Hulu, Netflix if you have a subscription but also on Dramafever and Viki. If I've already lost you then watch the trailer (here) or listen to the music farther down the page and I'll still be more than content but if you want to know more read on.

Plot

Oh boy......how do I explain this one.......hmmm

Set in the land of Goryeo (now North and South Korea) in the 1350s the story begins with new King and Queen of this land being escorted to their Royal Palace. On their journey they are attacked and Queen is seriously wounded. As a result the King commands the leader of his elite guard Choi Young to travel through a portal known as the "Heavens Gate" and bring back a legendary doctor who had visited Goryeo 1000 years ago before returning to heaven. It sounds complicated but the legends in the show are delivered through beautiful anime segments and explain far more elegantly I can.

Upon travelling through the gate Choi Young ends up in what is is recognisable as modern South Korea where he kidnaps a female doctor called Eun-soo and brings her back to the Queen in the hope of saving her life. The show depicts struggles faced by the Choi Young (a real historical character) who promises to return the doctor to her own world but struggles against to do so without comprising his own faith and duty in his King. Eun-soo also struggles longing to return as well as help the injured and sick at the risk of changing history itself.

Acting

Its the relationship between Choi Young played by the huge Korean actor Lee Min-ho and Eun-soo played by Kim Hee-sun that is backbone of the show. The impact they have on each other and how their personalities and relationship evolve over the series is delivered well thanks to some quality writing and a series length of 24 episodes. Kim Hee-sun gives the stand out performance of the show in part due to the growth of her character. Kim Hee-sun delivers a believable performance of a person only a mother could love. Thankfully as the series goes on her character does change and become less infuriating but what remains constant is the quality and range of Kim Hee-sun's acting.

Image c/o and linked to Dramafever

Choi Young, on the other hand, is a hard headed stoic character with incredible fighting as well as being able to summon electricity. There's certainly less range in this character for Lee Min-ho who still delivers excellently during the hectic action scenes and respectably in slower and softer moments of the show. The character of Choi Young comes across regimented and almost dull but that only creates a bigger contrast to the effervescent Eun-soo.

Judging the acting quality is always difficult in Korean dramas because what we would say is ludicrous or theatrical is acceptable and even expected for certain characters. The villains of the show are suitable theatrical and brash thanks to wealth and some superpowers and their performances are in keeping with the theme and fit well.

Music

The soundtrack is excellent. There are a number of ballads, pop songs and an orchestral songs that would grace the best of games or movies.

Final Thoughts

This show isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Parts of the story seem underplayed and some characters are never really given the spotlight they could have. That said like like in gaming it comes down to experience and without a doubt its an experience i'll apprecate for a long time to come. Indeed this Drama has become very popular and recieved well by fans all over he world. Its certainly not "Game of Thrones" or "House of Cards". Its more like "Arrow" or "Agents of Shield" which are just fun and enjoyable. As long as you don't take these shows too seriously they'll deliver a lot of entertainment. Give it a shot its free at Viki.com and also at Dramafever if your in the US so you have little to lose.

If that wasn't enough Korean Drama for you just click here for my initial thoughts on Inspiring Generation or You can read my last blog about blogging right here.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions regarding this show, Korean Dramas or anything really just drop them in the comments below. Also feedback is always welcome.